Reminder: 100 restaurants live chat at 12:30 Tuesday

Famously conservative, Baltimore's dining scene continues to show signs of a great awakening. There are more, and better, options in style and substance. Our list of 100 best restaurants, in Baltimore and the surrounding counties, reflects the wide spectrum of choices available to diners, from mom and pop storefronts to waterfront extravaganzas. The best restaurants have little in common, other than the proven ability to consistently please their customers. It's been a particularly stellar year for new restaurants. From Hampden and Harbor East, the hits kept coming. The farm-to-table trend dominated, and casual places started getting fancier. A few old favorites had some major changes, too. More so than in other cities, the restaurant community in Baltimore is remarkably cohesive, too, with abundant examples of mentoring and collaboration. That's another hopeful sign of better things to come. --By Richard Gorelick Also see: • Baltimore's top restaurants [Sortable list] | Baltimore's best restaurants, bars [Map] • Baltimore's 100 best bars [Pictures] • Readers' favorite restaurants [Pictures]